A satellite with reflective surfaces experiences radiation pressure from sunlight. If the satellite's surface area is doubled, how does the force due to radiation pressure change,... A satellite with reflective surfaces experiences radiation pressure from sunlight. If the satellite's surface area is doubled, how does the force due to radiation pressure change, assuming complete reflection?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the relationship between the surface area of a satellite and the force exerted on it by radiation pressure from sunlight, specifically when the satellite's surface is completely reflective. We need to determine how the force changes when the surface area is doubled.
Answer
The force due to radiation pressure doubles.
If the satellite's surface area is doubled, the force due to radiation pressure from sunlight also doubles, assuming complete reflection. This is because the force is directly proportional to the area.
Answer for screen readers
If the satellite's surface area is doubled, the force due to radiation pressure from sunlight also doubles, assuming complete reflection. This is because the force is directly proportional to the area.
More Information
Radiation pressure is the pressure exerted upon a surface due to the exchange of momentum between the object and the electromagnetic field. For a satellite, this pressure is caused by photons emitted from the sun impacting the surface of the satellite.
Tips
The amount of radiation pressure depends on the reflectivity of the surface. The more reflective the surface, the greater the radiation pressure. For a perfectly absorbing surface, the radiation pressure is halved.
Sources
- Solar Radiation Pressure - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics - sciencedirect.com
- 16.4 Momentum and Radiation Pressure - UCF Pressbooks - pressbooks.online.ucf.edu
- How Solar Radiation Pressure Affects Satellites: Calculating ... - blogs.imperial.ac.uk
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